h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

For a long time I've been an employee although I haven't had an employer since midsummer 1993.

No employer means no certain income, no holidays to speak of, no set w*rking hours = no days off.

Our country's system means that I can actually supplement my freelancing jobs with dole for the 'not registered w*rking hours'.

My family insists I'm w*rking all the time - day and night - during weekends and whatever holidays employed w*rker regularily have.

And, yes. I seem to attend more to my pc than to anybody else. I even have rented an office in a nearby town.

The key word is 'seem'. Because allthough I sit in my 'home office' or stand in my 'town office', I always have time for husband, kids, grandchildren, colleagues and friends. The hours I've put in for driving to football matches, collecting bicycles at places from where my daugther has hitchhiked, picking up my husband from w*rk, talking to people who needed a sympathetic ear, working around everybody else's plans are innumerable.

I'm not complaining. I like being indispensable. .

I just want to have longer hours and a better condition, because I'm too old to meet the exspectations I promise to meet.

Are you saying that being self-employed is tough cuz of the lack of deadlines and stress and point-haired bosses?

Indispensible is nice in a way, but you need to feel allowed to say "No". Please remember that you are allowed! Sometimes others should work around your needs. Not all the time, but sometimes. You are worth that.

No, not really, Leo.

I'm saying that in this country self-employed is - to me - a state of mind. The same deadlines, the same uncertainty, but a different approach and a smaller or less tight social and economical safety net.

The point is that I usually make enough money to get by (approx half of the normal journalist's wages) and thus I feel bad about getting economically supplemented, allthough I have 'the rigt' because journalists are very well paid in Denmark.

I mean, if I can support the family without help, somebody else could make use of the (tax paid) money I don't need to get by.

You're right of course, Milla. But I have this handicap: 'No' is hardly ever in my vocabulary .

I'm learning, though. .

And - in a few days' time - I'll know whether an employer (whom I've criticised) has paid for two months' research and writing - and if he has, Sig. S. and I will happily join the midsummer minimeet in Lund.

Are there room for us to crash on the floor?

Excuse the misspellings etc..

It happens every time I write a journal entry. In stead of writing about the subject I go off a tangent.

I just wanted to state that I'm going to become self employed. It is a big deal for me. I don't know what to expect or whether I can cope. More job insecurity but less administration concerning the unemployment insurance.

FLoor room we have - how long are you staying?

"I mean, if I can support the family without help, somebody else could make use of the (tax paid) money I don't need to get by."

you mean you don't need the money that i have paid through my taxes for all these years give them back a.s.a.p.

seriously though, i am glad i have been able to pay world record taxes even through hard times, because i know other people (yes, even those i don't know) needed dem. it's a good system and you should not feel that you didn't deserve the dole money. you paid for them yourself through taxes and insurance fees. i don't want the times back when only the extremely poor got a helping hand



ps: i deciced to keep the room i booked at ibis, but i have an offer from tåget for a fairly cheap three bed compartment all for myself. if you are not interested others might be, so i will not cancel it right away. check out the sign up thread for links to tåget about prices and stuff

Paying taxes is a form of solidarity. I enjoy doing it.

This with being there for everybody else is a mother-thing. I know.
It is very, very hard to say NO. Most of the time it never cross my mind.

I hope you will have a great time at Millas Midsummer party with all the sill and jordgubbar. Unfortunately I cannot join you at this mini meet. I am sure we´ll meet again Tartaronne, I´d really like to meet you again as well.



Izzybelle

I don't actually enjoy paying taxes, but I don't resent having to do so, either. I firmly believe that we should take care of people who can't help themselves for whatever reason. I also believe that said help should be enough to provide a decent quality of life. In the US, there is a lot of fraud, though, with a lot of people receiving benefits by falsifying their applications. Even so, I'd rather pay them than to deny help to someone who really needs it.

Good luch with your venture, tartaronne.

What is that old wives' saying? The only things certain are death and taxes.

We live in a state where the personal property, real estate and state income taxes are higher than any other state surrounding us. Now they are talking about raising turnpike tolls to pay for new bridges..the lottery was supposed to be used for roads and schools, but so far, I can't see that it has happened.

Elentari

>>i am glad i have been able to pay world record taxes even through hard times<<

Me, too. I now have lenghty discussions with my son who has gone from very left socialistic to very right liberalistic in half a year. He'll get wiser I hope.

I think I've paid you back already, Pierce. On beforehand. . Even now I pay 100.000 kr. a year in tax - 2/5 of my income and live very well.

I'll have a look at Tåget - are you able to wait for a couple of days?

>>solidaity<< Izzybelle. You hit the head on the nail. I fully agree with the Scandinavian system, and it seems to provide happy, healthy, well educated, trusting, innovative and hardworking citizens as well - according to different questionnaires and investigations.

for the wishes, Hypatia.

Hi, Lady C.

Not an old wife - an old rake. Benjamin Franklin said that.

Funny - I always thought of charity as a solidarity kind of thing. Taxes is more like Robin Hood, and I can't say I enjoy paying them. I'd much rather write out a check directly. I'm likely to be more generous when it's of my own volition and plus, I know half of it isn't disappearing into the beaurocracy to pay the envelope licker.

I don't reckon charity as solidarity.

Charity has in most cases elements of pity and do-good-ing.

Solidarity is between equals. It is like insurance with the element of capitalising on it taken out and paying a percentage of your income - not the same amount: We all pay to contribute to a pile, and the unfortunate one whose house burns down get a share of the funds to build a new house and will again have the same point of departure than the rest - free and equal - to pursue their variation of quality in life. Some people never need funds out of the pile but have paid to secure themselves and others if..

In Denmark we all pay to for instance the educational and health system. All children can have an education up till the end of University for (almost) free - (we have had this libertarian government for six years). All people can have good free health care. The taxes pays to equal out all kinds of handicaps - be it age, mental, physical, psychiatric, social etc., takes the surplus burden away from the individual and his or her family - and thus provides freedom and equality.

Like in a family or a tribe. You share the funds, the responsibillity and the work load according to your needs, abillities and strenght.

*Steps down from Lady C.'s soapbox that wasn't hidden that well*

indeed!

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"takes the surplus burden away from the individual and his or her family"

i would like to add "and in particular individuals who don't have any family"

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charity, solidarity or insurance i'm not sure it's so much about solidarity any more these days, is it? to most danes it's more insurance then solidarity, i believe

but anyway, it's a good system. as tartaronne pointed out several surveys have showed that it has helped our nation to become one of the most productive and strongest economies

not that i'm nationalistic ( perish the thought!) but it proves that the system w*rks

*paints soap box in bright colours *

At least it started out as a way to equalise everybodies opportunities as a principle of solidarity.

Ooops: Everybody's ()